MRG One Day Conference: The Future Of TV Viewing
Dr Jonathan Freeman of Goldsmith’s University addressed the future of TV viewing from an academic’s perspective at yesterday’s MRG conference in London.
Freeman began by introducing the concept of “immersive TV” pointing out that interactive services are failing to inspire digital viewers because broadcasters are not taking advantage of the massive amount of information that it is now possible to transmit via the TV.
He said that in the future, as technology develops, TV will go further towards bridging the gap between low intensity home entertainment and high intensity live experiences. He said that TV will be revolutionised by the use of smells, temperature, motion and virtual reality, which will be used to enhance the viewing experience. This, he said, is immersive TV.
Freeman acknowledged that while he and his team were already trialing immersive technology the reality of immersive products in the home is a long way off. However, he pointed out that those involved in the concept are not merely developing technology for technology’s sake as: “Immersive TV has some serious commercial implications.”
He said that the uptake of immersive TV could lead to a new generation of high impact advertising allowing viewers to interact with products in a truly virtual sense, touching, smelling and even tasting them. He explained that research shows that the level of immersion a consumer experiences directly correlates to their ability to remember products that they want to buy. The implications of this are obvious, he said.
Freeman concluded by calling on broadcasters and advertisers to make the most of interactive TV, which he argued, can go some way to creating some of the same effects as the immersive concept. He said: “Immersive TV is a long way off but interactive TV is here now. We need to make it less confusing and easier to use so that we can all harness its potential for the future.”
More information about yesterday’s conference can be found on the MRG website: www.mrg.org.uk